Salvia plant named ‘Balmirleu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Balmirleu’, characterized by its deep violet and violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia greggii.

Variety denomination: ‘Balmirleu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant botanically known as Salvia greggii and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balmirleu’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during June 2016. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Salvia cultivars that bloom throughout the summer and have upright-mounded growth habits.

The new Salvia cultivar was the result of a self-pollination of the proprietary Salvia greggii breeding selection coded Sal30857-5-1-2, not patented, characterized by its dark rose-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during June 2017 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2017 in Guadalupe, Calif. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balmirleu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Deep violet and violet-blue colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in having deep violet-blue colored flowers.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Mirage Violet ‘Balmirvio’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,724. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balmirvio’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have deep violet and violet-blue         colored flowers while plants of ‘Balmirvio’ have deep         purple-colored flowers;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have flower corollas that are         smaller in width and length than plants of ‘Balmirvio’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Balmirvio’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balmirleu’. The plants were approximately four months old. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 9 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balmirleu’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of inflorescences of ‘Balmirleu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in June 2020 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately four-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 9 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant. Prior to transplant plants were grown in liners in a poly-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures ranged from an average high of 69.3° F. (20.7° C.) to an average low of 63.6° F. (17.6° C.), and supplemental lighting was provided daily for five hours during short days. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia greggii ‘Balmirleu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female and male parents.—Proprietary Salvia greggii breeding             selection coded Sal30857-5-1-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous white to light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Subshrub, moderately             vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 7a (0° F. to 5° F./−17.8° C. to −15°             C.).         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 31.0 cm. Width: Approximately 36.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances lateral             branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 4             main branches and approximately 34 lateral branches.         -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Moderately             strong, young growth flexible. Length to base of             inflorescence: Approximately 9.0 cm to 12.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color of             young stems: 146C. Color of mature stems: 146C, becoming             woody 199B and 200C with age. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:             Approximately 6. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape:             Elliptic. Margin: Crenulate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 3.3 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.2 cm. Texture of upper surface and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with             venation of 137C. Color of lower surface of young foliage:             Closest to 138A with venation of 146D. Color of upper             surface of mature foliage: 137B with venation of 137C. Color             of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to between 138A             and 138B with venation of 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             146D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balmirleu’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions blooming from early spring             through late summer.         -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme with typically two florets             per node. Quantity of open inflorescences per plant:             Approximately 47. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height             of inflorescence: Approximately 6.0 cm to 11.0 cm. Width of             inflorescence: Approximately 5.0 cm. Quantity of fully-open             flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 2 to 4.         -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Primarily erect. Length: Approximately 3.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent.             Color: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:             Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 146D with an             overlay of N186A; petals of N89B with pubescence of N89A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,             based fused. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Length:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Depth: Approximately 3.0 cm.         -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.             Length from throat: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner             surface when first and fully open: NN155D. Color of outer             surface when first and fully open: Closest to N88A and 93B             with pubescence of N89A.         -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Obovate, cupped. Shape of             lateral lobes: Oblong. Margin of central lobe: Shallowly             scalloped. Margin of lateral lobes: Entire. Apex of central             lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes: Rounded. Length             from throat of central lobe: Approximately 1.6 cm. Width of             central lobe: Approximately 1.4 cm. Length from throat of             lateral lobes: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:             Closest to N88A with N81A, N88C at throat opening. Color of             lower surface when first and fully open: Closest to N87B             with N88C in center.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of inner surface: NN155D, translucent. Color             of outer surface: N88A to N88B with NN155D at base.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 3, fused. Shape: Obovate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length: Approximately             1.1 cm. Width: Two of approximately 3.0 mm and one of             approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 147B with             venation of N186A. Color of outer surface: 146C with             venation and an overlay of N186A.         -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of each             developing floret, bracts abscise as florets mature. Length:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture             of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 147C with an             overlay of N186A at apex. Color of outer surface: 146D with             a heavy overlay of N186A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute             angle. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146D with a heavy             overlay of N186A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Filament length: Approximately 1.2 cm.             Filament color: NN155D, opaque with tinting and pubescence             of N89A in center. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic to             oblong. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color:             13B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 13A. Gynoecium:             Pistil quantity: 1 per flower, strongly curved. Pistil             length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft,             two-parted, curved. Stigma length: 3.0 mm. Stigma color:             NN155D tinted with N89B. Style length: Approximately 2.4 cm.             Style color: NN155D, opaque. Style texture: Glabrous with a             vertical line of feather-like pubescence extending from the             stigma for approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary length: Approximately             3.0 mm. Ovary color: 154D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Salvia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balmirleu’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 